Stall



(No Model.) I

N. SIHAFFSTALL.

. FENCE.

No. 388,725. Patented Aug. 28, 1888.

4 4 I Q v wnmsssss: INVENTOR. W I I LmwnaeZWf ATTORNEY,

u. nuns man-ma num, Walhington. o. c.

UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL SHAFFSTALL, OF FLINT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN J.

KINNEY, or ANGOLA, INDIANA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,725, dated August 28, 1888. Application filed January 27, 1887. Renewed July 30, 1888. Serial No. 281,441. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL SHAFF- sTALL, a citizen of the United States, .residing at Flint, in the county of Steuben and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of a rail fence constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a cross-section taken on line 3 y of Fig. 1, and on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 2.

The present invention has relation to that class .of rail fences in which the rails are held together at their meeting ends by wires; and the object ofthe invention is to provide such fence with posts secured totransverse anchorbeams in such manner as will enable the posts to vibrate without interfering with the line of fence, which objects I attain by the construction substantially as shown in the drawings, and hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, A B repre" sent the fence-posts crossed near their upper ends and secured together by a wine loop, a, and above their point of connection, and between the upper ends of the posts, are secured the rails C D, held in place by the wires b.

The rails of each panel of the fence lap each other, as shown, any number of railsE being used,as found desirable, said rails being held together and to the fence-post by means ofa continuous wire, a, the ends being fastened to the post, as shown at d. In securing the lapping ends of the rails together the wire 0 is first looped around a transverse anchor'bar, Rafter which the wire is brought up along each side of the rails, when it is drawn tightly in an upward direction and the extremities. as previously stated, fastened to the post. \Vire loops care next passed around the wire 0, and the ends of the wire forming the loop looped so as to draw the wire 0 tightly against the sides of the rails, a loop being used between each pair of rails, as shown in Fig. 2. This forms a very simple and effective means of securely holding the rails together in position between the posts, so that they will withstand any severe gale or storm.

The transverse anchor-bar F is secured to the lower ends of the posts A B by loops f, and said bar at its end is securely fastened to the ground .by wire loops 9 and stakes h, the.

latter being firmly driven in theground, whereby the fence is prevented from being blown over.

The manner shown of securing the posts to the anchor-bar by means of the loops f enables said posts to vibrate laterally in case of wind or storm, thus preventing the fence from becoming injured by the strain upon the wire fastenings were the posts perfectly rigid.

The fence can be conveniently taken apart and rebuilt or put together with comparatively little trouble.

I am aware that it has been proposed to anchor a fence by means of stakes driven into the ground and connected to the posts by cords or wires, and do not seek to cover such construction. 7

I am also aware of the Patents Nos. 243,279 and 344,413, and make no claim to'the constructions shown therein as forming part of my invention, but limit myself to my particular construction, attaching special importance to my means for anchoring the fence so as to securely hold the same in its set position,and yet allow it to yield laterally in case of wind or storm.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new,'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The herein-described fence, consisting of the crossed posts A B, binding-wire a, transverse anchorbar F, wire 0, passed under said bar and having its ends secured to said posts, rails E, supported by said wire 0, the loops f, pivotally securing said bar to the lower ends of the posts, the stakes h,-.and wire loops 9, embracing the ends of said bar and secured to said stakes, whereby said posts, rails,and anchor-bar are free to vibrate laterally, all substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses: NATHANIEL SHAFFSTALL.

LAWRENCE GATEs. PETER W. RUssELL. 

